Architecture and social sciences

With the restructuring of the Faculty of Architecture and Social Sciences on 1 January 2014, the two teaching and research profiles from the fields of planning and construction and social work at HTWK Leipzig were strengthened. At the same time, synergies are developing at the interdisciplinary faculty, which are particularly useful in Leipzig as a university location in order to address the issues of the city and demonstrate new approaches in teaching and research that make important contributions to the profile lines of HTWK Leipzig. Social change, architecture, urban society and social work are complex topics whose interactions are reflected upon and dealt with on a project-related basis in the Faculty of Engineering and Social Sciences.

The Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in Architecture will be the only architecture degree programmes offered at a university of applied sciences in Saxony after the Ministry's university development plan was implemented with the integration of the WHZ Faculty of Architecture into HTWK Leipzig on 1 September 2015. The Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes in Social Work have a unique selling point among Saxony's state universities in that they offer social science studies in an urban context. Both departments maintain close contacts with the city of Leipzig in teaching and research and regularly expand them with new projects; in addition, there is an intensive exchange with national and international cooperation partners.

History

On 1 January 2014, the Faculty of Architecture and Social Sciences was formed at HTWK Leipzig. This restructuring to bundle research and teaching in the Architecture and Social Work degree programmes is directly related to the university's development plan, in which "social city" and "integrated urban development" have already been defined as development and future topics. Within the two profile lines "Life Science & Engineering" and "Construction & Energy", this contributes to the further profiling of the university.

The unusual combination of architecture and social sciences particularly addresses their socio-political dimension. The combination of both areas in a joint faculty is intended to provide impetus for the future development of the university as well as the region, for example on topics such as "City and demographic change", "Child and family-friendly living spaces", "Migration neighbourhoods" and "Metropolisation and urban exodus".

In addition, the structural change is already preparing the concentration of Saxon architecture teaching in Dresden and Leipzig in the long term. The Saxon University Development Plan 2020 envisages the integration of the Faculty of Architecture at the HTWK Leipzig to close the Reichenbach site at the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences Zwickau.

In conversation: Prof. Dr.-ing. Annette Menting and Prof. Dr jur. rainer Vor, Dean and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Social Sciences.

On 1 April 2014, the architecture degree programmes were transferred to the Faculty of Architecture and Social Sciences. What can the "new" and existing students expect at this faculty?

Menting: First and foremost, students can expect continuity in the orientation and quality of their degree programme, both in terms of qualified supervision and in terms of the breadth of subject matter. In addition, the first synergies are already coming to fruition. For example, the degree programmes will offer courses from the other teaching area by opening up elective modules for interdisciplinary teaching. In addition, the existing interdisciplinary module "Planning: Moderating, Communicating" will be continued. The public lecture series in the summer semester is dedicated to the overarching question: "How does society come into design?" and deals with aspects ranging from social housing to participation projects and urban design.

Before: Social science and architecture have numerous overlaps and points of contact; common themes are obvious. I am thinking, for example, of "intergenerational housing" or "citizen participation and urban planning". We would like to design new interdisciplinary modules accordingly.

Menting: This is also entirely in line with the suggestions from the most recent architecture programme accreditation: exploit opportunities, develop synergies. Both study programmes are currently in the reaccreditation phase for the next seven years.

Are there any specific projects planned for the coming months?

Before: The 25th anniversary of the peaceful revolution on 9 October is a major topic in Leipzig. in January, we had the idea of taking part in the celebrations with an autumn pavilion. together, we will create a public communication space in a central location in the city where people can stop and reflect on the events of 1989. The Peaceful Revolution Foundation will be showing documentary films on the subject in the pavilion, there will be a programme for school classes and events with activists from that time - so visitors will be clearly shown what happened in 1989.

Menting: This is a fascinating topic that the students will be able to work on this summer semester, and it is also a project that effectively communicates the new faculty idea to the outside world.

What is the cooperation with the city like and how is it set to develop?

Menting: Both departments have good contacts with the respective municipal institutions and are working on current projects such as in the east of Leipzig, on the brownfield sites in the northern neighbourhoods or on the Jahrtausendfeld in the western part of the city. These are to be continued or intensified. In addition, projects such as the autumn pavilion offer a good opportunity to show that the members of our faculty are realising their first collaborative projects.

Vor: It's wonderful to be involved in urban life. If our university plays its part, that's the icing on the cake for me.

Are there already plans for joint research projects?

Menting: The social and health sector is very well positioned in terms of research, as are the research areas of energy design and 3D moulded wood. These strengths should be maintained and expanded. In addition, we will continue to think strategically and develop interdisciplinary research projects in the future. The area of urbanism will play a key role here, as society and architecture come together through urban space. Our recently appointed honorary professor Dipl.-Ing. Martin zur Nedden, who has been working as Scientific Director and Managing Director of the German Institute of Urban Affairs, one of the largest urban research institutes in the German-speaking world, since the beginning of 2014, will support us in this area in the future.

In which direction should the Faculty of Architecture and Social Sciences develop in the coming years?

Menting: The Faculty should not only become an important focal point in and for Leipzig and Saxony, but also in a national context in order to study architecture, social sciences and overarching disciplines such as urban studies and to profile corresponding research. We believe that the "K" for culture in the name of our university is also firmly anchored in our faculty, which is reflected in topics such as - building culture - and - culture of urban society.